Made for Europe

Cost and risk-effective sourcing from new markets

Neutral, competent, cost-effective

You are planning to import? Fresh fruit and vegetables? Cut flowers? Technical wood? Natural ingredients for foods, pharmaceutics, cosmetics? We have the contacts you need and are at your side throughout the entire sourcing process.

We network you with the right exporters.

Accessing new sources of supply is labour intensive and time consuming. There are plenty of risks and unknowns. You  can reduce your initiation, agreement and control costs with the Import Promotion Desk. Gain certainty and time as we have the contacts, information and communication channels to your new foreign suppliers.

Hand in hand with the German private sector

The IPD is an initiative of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (Bundesverband Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V.) and sequa gGmbH – the development organisation of German industry. We are funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Ukraine Special Programme

IPD is expanding its engagement in Ukraine. In addition to the companies in the IPD programme, IPD is currently supporting other Ukrainian producers under a special programme financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in order to place export-ready companies with European buyers. Many Ukrainian companies continue to produce and can supply the EU market. We can put you in touch with Ukrainian suppliers and inform you about the exact range of products available from Ukraine.
Just contact us!

IPD UPDATE 1 // 2022

Here and there, there has been a return to something approaching normality in recent months. IPD accompanied producers and tour operators at international trade fairs, lent its support to matchmaking, and IPD experts were on the road on sourcing missions. What is more, IPD regional offices were set up in selected partner countries in the second half of 2021.

Read more about this in our IPD UPDATE.

»At the interface between development cooperation and foreign trade«

Interview with Dr. Julia Bellinghausen – Head of Import Promotion Desk
Dr. Julia Bellinghausen explains why supporting exports is an essential instrument in international development cooperation and outlines the IPD’s strategy for opening up the German and European markets to developing countries.
Read the entire interview

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»With the IPD we are closing a strategic gap at the interface of development cooperation and foreign trade: By eliminating trade barriers and information deficits, we contribute to the improved participation of emerging and developing countries in the global economy, but also support German SMEs in developing new procurement markets.«

Gregor Wolf
Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA)

»It is important for developing countries and emerging nations to integrate into international value chains and thus obtain access to new sales markets. This is where the IPD makes a valuable contribution: it opens the German and European market to producers from these regions.«

Anja Gomm
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

»Organisations such as the IPD are valuable tools for the economy not only in Germany but also in partner countries. The IPD provides German importers with information and connects them with suppliers. Even more important is the fact that the IPD and its partner organisations evaluate the suppliers and the information beforehand and therefore minimize the risk for European importers. For exporters from foreign countries, the IPD is an excellent platform to present their products and to get in contact to potential clients.«

Christian Körting Pacheco
Biomaderas GmbH

"One should think that with today's technical facilities it is easy to find new suppliers and customers in other countries. In reality,  this is a time-consuming and personnel-intensive effort. The IPD offers ideal networking opportunities in a wide range of sectors, facilitating, for instance in the wood sector, the establishment of new and safe commercial relationships with emerging and developing countries."

Nils Olaf Petersen
Gesamtverband Deutscher Holzhandel e.V.

»Exporters from emerging markets and developing countries and importers from Europe depend on all types of support from associations, Chambers of Industry and Commerce and other BMOs.The IPD is another useful tool to bring partners from Germany and abroad together.«

Hans Udo Bürk
Biotropic GmbH

»Numerous companies from the German nutrition industry depend on the import of high-quality food products.  Many of these raw materials cannot be grown in Germany at all or only to an insufficient extent. The Import Promotion Desk can play an important role in the establishment of a mutually satisfactory collaboration between food importers from Germany and reliable food exporters from selected commodity markets.«

Olivier Kölsch
Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Ernährungsindustrie e.V.

News

Bonn/Berlin // 05.04.2022
Virtual FAM Trip to Ecuador
 
Bonn/Berlin // 05.04.2022

Virtual FAM Trip to Ecuador

Import Promotion Desk invites to virtual FAM trip to the land of four worlds
A webinar introduces tour operators to exceptional tourism companies and sustainable offerings from Ecuador.

Bonn/Berlin, 05.04.2022 - The Import Promotion Desk, an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, invites European tour operators to a virtual trip through the country of the four worlds. The virtual FAM Trip to Ecuador takes place on 5 May from 3.00 to 4.30 pm (CET) and explores the four different nature areas of Ecuador: the rain forest of the Amazon area, the culture and landscape of the Andean highland, the Pacific coast as well as the flora of the Galapagos islands.

Press relase: Virtual FAM Trip to Ecuador
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Bonn/Berlin // 15.03.2022
Fruit Logistica 2022: Diversity from Africa
 
Bonn/Berlin // 15.03.2022

Fruit Logistica 2022: Diversity from Africa

Tropical fruits, fresh herbs and a large selection of vegetables
The Import Promotion Desk (IPD) highlights the potential of trade partnerships with producers from Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Morocco

Bonn/Berlin, 15.03.2022 – The Import Promotion Desk (IPD) presents tropical fruits, fresh herbs and a large selection of vegetables – partly in organic quality – from its African partner countries at Fruit Logistica, which takes place in Berlin from 5th to 7th April. The producers from Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Morocco have been carefully selected by IPD experts and are certified according to international standards such as GLOBALG.A.P.

"As an import promotion initiative, we make sure that the companies in the IPD program meet the quality requirements of European buyers and can supply necessary trade volumes", says Dr Julia Bellinghausen, head of IPD. "Other good arguments for importing from Africa are its seasons, the associated strategically favourable harvest periods for fruit and vegetables, as well as short distances."

At this year's Fruit Logistica, IPD supports around 24 producers from developing and emerging countries – in addition to African exporters, also companies from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

Press Release: Fruit Logistica 2022 - Diversity from Africa
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Article // 08.03.2022
International Women`s Day: Economic participation promotes growth
 
Article // 08.03.2022

International Women`s Day: Economic participation promotes growth

"Powered by women": economic power of women in developing and emerging countries

Women in developing and emerging countries play an important and often underestimated role in care-giving and securing their family’s income. They work in the farming industry, in processing and in sales. But still it is generally women who have little access to education, land ownership and bank loans. The economic potential of women remains untapped. Equitable participation in economic life would not only improve women’s rights but also promote economic growth in these countries.

To mark International Women’s Day, Import Promotion Desk (IPD) presents three female entrepreneurs from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Colombia, who illustrate the enormous potential of women’s participation in economic life. IPD is active in 14 developing and emerging countries, supporting small and medium-sized companies with exports to the European market. The initiative is implemented by the globally active development organisation of German industry, sequa gGmbH, in close cooperation with the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA). IPD is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Powered by women: economic participation
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Events

FAM Trip // 09.06. - 19.06.2022
FAM Trip to Tunisia
 
FAM Trip // 09.06. - 19.06.2022

FAM Trip to Tunisia

Join IPD on a sustainable journey through the hidden treasures of Tunisia.
Meet evaluated tourism providers in Tunisia!

The North African country has much more to offer than its beautiful Mediterranean beaches.

You can look foward to:

  • Nature trip through the green & lush Northwest region
  • Cycling through Cartage’s historical treasures
  • See the arty side of Djerba island
  • Soft adventure and an eco-stay in the mountains of Zaghouan
  • Amazigh culture trip in Tunisia’s Dahar Region
  • and more to discover.

IPD will connect you with an exclusive selection of six carefully evaluated tourism companies who will present their exceptional and sustainable product portfolio.

All Ecuadorian service providers have been evaluated before the pandemic and have been trained on the requirements of the EU travel market. IPD connects you with these reliable tourism companies – independently and free of charge.

Join IPD on this inspiring journey
from 9 to 18 June 2022 (Flight from London) or
from 10 to 17 June 2022 (Flight from Frankfurt)

Receive more information and register here.

For further questions, please contact:

Nora Eichkorn

Virtual B2B Event // 27.06. - 01.07.2022
Virtual B2B Event "Organic Fresh Produce"
 
Virtual B2B Event // 27.06. - 01.07.2022

Virtual B2B Event "Organic Fresh Produce"

Fresh fruits and vegetables in organic quality from Egypt,Côte d‘Ivoire, Ecuador, Peru and Ukraine

From 27 June - 1 July 2022, IPD will introduce selected suppliers of organic produce in individual online meetings.

Wether mangoes, pineapples, bananas, melons to peas, pumpkin, sweet potato or spring onions - the range of products from developing and emerging countries is diverse. Find out more by talking directly to our exporters.

All exporters are carefully screened. We take into account criteria such as product quality, export capability and capacity, as well as compliance with international standards and certifications.

Benefit from this unique opportunity to meet interesting exporters without stress and travel costs and gain these advantages:

  • You have immediate access to detailed information about the companies, growing areas, certifications, seasonal product availability and more.
  • All suppliers are familiar with online meetings, so you will get quick results.
  • Experienced IPD experts support the companies before, during and after the web conferences.

You will find all information on the exporters and their products in our detailled brochure.

For more information plaease contact:

Dorra Zairi

IPD Exporters of organic fresh produce
[Translate to Englisch NEU:]
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..Trade fair in Nuremberg // 26.07. - 29.07.2022
Biofach 2022
 
..Trade fair in Nuremberg // 26.07. - 29.07.2022

Biofach 2022

Biofach 2022 - the world's leading trade fair for organic food - will take place from 26 - 29 July 2022.

This year, the IPD will again be represented together with the Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with the joint stand "Organic sourcing for development" and present carefully selected producers from Egypt, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Ghana, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, among others. More than 50 companies will present their diverse organic assortment.

You will find herbs, spices and teas, pastes, essential and cold-pressed oils, cane and coconut blossom sugar, as well as fruit and vegetable specialties from the new markets.

All companies were evaluated by the IPD. We take into account criteria such as product quality, exportability and capacity as well as the fulfillment of international standards and certifications.

Take advantage of the Biofach and meet reliable exporters from our partner countries. 

Details of companies and their product range will be available in June .

For questions in advance and further information please contact us:

Maria Paula Gomez

www.biofach.de

Publications

Success Story
Organic fruits from Ecuador
 
Success Story

Organic fruits from Ecuador

PRODUCER ASSOCIATION SUCCESSFULLY SPECIALISES IN ORGANIC FRUITS

Tierra Orgánica was born out of necessity, but with a clear goal: After a heavy earthquake hit the region, the producers’ assocation was established in 2017 to support small farmers through the cultivation of organic fruit. Around 67 small-scale farmers grow exotic fruits like plantains, passion fruits and pitahayas while respecting organic standards. With the support of Import Promotion Desk (IPD), the young team of Tierra Orgánica has managed to successfully export organic fruits from Ecuador to the EU market: first business deals prove the potential of the products the cooperative has to offer.

Organic fruits from Ecuador
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Success Story
Fresh fruit & vegetables from the Ukraine
 
Success Story

Fresh fruit & vegetables from the Ukraine

UKRAINIAN FRUIT GROWERS IMPRESS WITH GOOD QUALITY AND SHORT DELIVERY ROUTES


The Ukrainian company Gadz provides high-quality fruit for the European market. Although it has only been in the IPD programme since 2020, Gadz has already convinced the British importer Fresh4U of the quality of its products and its value as a reliable supplier. This business relationship demonstrates the advantages of the Ukraine as a production location: besides geographic proximity, short transport routes and favourable farming conditions, the country also offers a wide range of fresh fruit & vegetables in high quality. IPD supports both exporters and importers to ensure that the collaboration is a success story for both sides.

Fresh fruit & vegetables from the Ukraine
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Success Story
Preparing for a new start in tourism
 
Success Story

Preparing for a new start in tourism

The Import Promotion Desk (IPD) is supporting the Ministry of Tourism in Ecuador (MINTUR) as it prepares to
relaunch tourism in the country. In conjunction with the consulting firm Hotel Resilient, which specialises in risk and
crisis management, the health and hygiene concepts for the tourism sector have been adapted to internationally
valid standards and a concept for hygiene and safety training has been developed. In the first three months, more than
400 Ecuadorian tourism professionals have already been trained; an e-learning program has also been launched.

IPD SUPPORTS ECUADOR IN THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW COVID-19 HYGIENE PROTOCOLS
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Success Story
Fresh fruit & vegetables from Egypt
 
Success Story

Fresh fruit & vegetables from Egypt

IPD successfully prepares young enterprise for the EU market

Creatick Pro was launched in 2017 with a lot of enthusiasm and a high-quality product range. Although their range was tailored for the EU market, a marketing strategy and contact to European partners were lacking. Creatick joined the IPD programme in autumn 2019, and the Egyptian enterprise is now rapidly conquering the European market.

IPD Success story - Fresh fruit & vegetables from Egypt
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